The Atelornis crossleyi species of the ground rollers lives with most of its family in humid forests.

[2] The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the bird to be near-threatened because, although it is present in a number of protected areas, it is hunted for food and the forests in which it lives are threatened by slash-and-burn cultivation.

The head and breast are reddish-brown, the upper parts olive green and the underparts buff with darker markings.

There is a narrow blackish collar with white vertical streaks on the upper breast and an iridescent light blue patch on the carpal wing joint.

Breeding probably takes place in December and January, and the clutch size is normally two eggs.